Battery Module Connector Layout for Thermal Expansion Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Energy storage modules face challenges with significant heating during operation, leading to thermal expansion issues that require spacing between cells, increasing complexity and production costs, while aiming for high power density and cost savings in limited spaces.
Innovation Solution
The energy storage module design incorporates a housing with side walls and connecting elements that attach to connection tabs, allowing for a compact, stable arrangement of cells with predetermined expansion distances, eliminating the need for additional spacers and enhancing stability through lateral connections and prestressing elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional spacer elements are used to maintain expansion distance between energy storage cells, then thermal expansion damage is prevented, but device complexity and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the spacer function with the existing cell connector structure. The cell connector serves dual purposes: electrical connection between cells and mechanical spacing to accommodate thermal expansion. This integration eliminates the need for separate spacer elements, reducing device complexity while maintaining the reliability needed to prevent thermal expansion damage.
2Reliability
If additional spacer elements are used to maintain expansion distance between energy storage cells, then thermal expansion damage is prevented, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cell connector is designed to perform both electrical connection and thermal expansion spacing functions simultaneously. By integrating these two functions into a single component, the number of parts to be manufactured and assembled is reduced, thereby lowering production costs while maintaining the reliability needed to prevent thermal expansion damage.
3Reliability
If additional elements are used for spatial separation of energy storage cells, then thermal expansion is accommodated, but packing density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cell connector structure is designed to provide the necessary spacing for thermal expansion while minimizing the volume occupied by the spacing mechanism. By integrating the spacing function into the existing connector, the additional volume required for separation is minimized, thereby maintaining higher packing density compared to using separate spacer elements.
4Quantity of substance
If more energy storage cells are packed into limited space to achieve high power density, then energy storage capacity increases, but thermal expansion management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cell connector is designed with an integrated spacing function that accommodates thermal expansion. This allows for closer packing of cells to achieve high energy storage capacity while the built-in spacing mechanism of each connector ensures that thermal expansion is properly managed, maintaining reliability even at high cell densities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design simplifies production, reduces material usage, and enhances stability by ensuring safe spacing and efficient packing density of energy storage cells, addressing thermal expansion while maintaining high power density and cost efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
they heat up considerably during operation, especially under high load, and consequently expand. These temperature-dependent volume changes, particularly with regard to the outer circumference of the energy storage cells
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an energy storage module for storing electric energy, comprising an energy storage device which has an upper face, a lower face, and a substantially rectangular outer periphery. The energy storage device comprises a plurality of energy storage units, each of which has at least two adjacent energy storage cells with poles oriented towards the upper face and the lower face of the energy storage device, wherein the positive poles of each of the energy storage units are connected together via a first electrically conductive cell connector, and the negative poles are connected together via a second electrically conductive cell connector. The first cell connector is electrically connected to a first connection lug, and the second cell connector is electrically connected to a second connection lug. The connection lugs are arranged on an energy storage unit outer face facing a first lateral surface of the rectangular outer periphery of the energy storage device, and the first connection lug of each energy storage unit is connected to the second connection lug of the respective adjacent energy storage unit in the longitudinal direction of the first lateral surface via an electrically conductive connection element.